Lewis Hamilton was clearly upset by the media reaction to his decision to play with Snapchat images on his smartphone in Thursday’s press conference.
Photograph: Diego Azubel/EPA

Lewis Hamilton walked out of a Mercedes press conference without answering any questions here on Saturday, embarrassing his employers for the second time in three days. The 31-year-old, clearly upset by the media reaction to his decision to play with Snapchat images on his smartphone during Thursday’s official drivers’ conference, said nothing for a minute or two, smiling as he repeatedly tapped his microphone on the table in front of him.

“Hmm, hmm” was all that could be heard as he pondered what to say. Then, very quietly, almost to himself, and referring to the smiling journalists, he said: “You won’t be smiling in a minute.”

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After another pause the Mercedes head of communications, Bradley Lord, finally said: “OK, ready to go?” but was left looking nonplussed when Hamilton said: “I’m not actually here to answer your questions, I’ve decided. With the utmost respect there are many of you here who are super-supportive of me and I know who they are.

“There are others who unfortunately often take advantage of certain things. The other day was a super light-hearted thing.”

Hamilton continued, before his stunned audience: “If I was disrespectful to any of you guys, or if you felt that I was disrespectful, it was honestly not the intention. It was just a little bit fun.

“But what was more disrespectful is what was then written, worldwide. There are some people here and it’s not them that’s done it, and the decision I will take unfortunately affects those who have been super-supportive.

“But I don’t really plan on sitting here many more times for these kind of things. So my apologies and I hope you guys enjoy the rest of the weekend.” He placed his mic on the table and left the room.

Before Hamilton’s appearance his team-mate, Nico Rosberg, who beat him to pole position for the Japanese Grand Prix by 0.013sec, had answered questions for 10 minutes. Before him, Mercedes’ head of motorsport, Toto Wolff, had likewise fulfilled his media duties without incident. The Saturday session is a regular feature arranged by Mercedes before the following day’s race.

Hamilton’s decision to play with his smartphone on Thursday, making a mockery of the official launch to the race weekend as he used the messaging service’s filters to put rabbit ears on the Toro Rosso driver Carlos Sainz, and almost crying with laughter as he did so, was widely interpreted as disrespectful.

It drew disrespect in return, with “Snap Prat” among the more lurid tabloid headlines. Hamilton’s walkout is only likely to create more tension. A Mercedes spokesperson refused to comment on the incident and did not say whether Hamilton would be disciplined for his actions.